1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an inflator for an air bag to be installed on a vehicle or to an inflator for a restraining system for use in a pedestrian protection device.
2. Description of Related Art
Examples of restraining devices for motor vehicles include airbag apparatuses for a driver side and a passenger side next to the driver, an airbag apparatus for side collision, a curtain airbag apparatus, a knee bolster apparatus, an inflatable seatbelt device, and also devices attached outside the vehicle for protecting pedestrians. Inflators that actuate these devices sometimes use a separate connection member for connection to the restraining device such as an airbag, and it is preferred that the connection member have as simple a structure as possible and be connected by a simple process.
For example, a structure of inflator for a side collision airbag or a curtain airbag is known in which, with consideration for a mounting space in the vehicle, the entire housing is formed to have an elongated shape, and a gas discharge hole is provided in the circumferential direction at one end thereof. With such structure, the gas generated therein is introduced in the above airbags via a connection tube.
A gas generator of JP-A No. 11-255064 illustrates a method of connecting the connection tube and the gas discharge port. In the gas generator of JP-A No. 11-255064, a seal 17 is attached, from the outer side thereof, to a gas outlet opening 3 formed in the outer circumferential surface of the housing 13, and then shells 7, 9 are attached from the outside of the seal. A plurality of protrusions 19 is formed at the inner surface of the seal 17, and the protrusion 19 is inserted into the gas outlet opening 3, thereby fixing the seal. A pipeline 5 serving as a flow pipe to the bag is inserted into the seal 17, the shells 7, 9 are tightened with a connection member, and the housing 13 and the pipeline 5 are maintained in an air-tight state. Thus, the member connecting the inflator and the airbag is composed of a large number of components and the assembly process is complicated.